THE CHALLENGE TO THE FILIPINO YOUTH TODAY
EUGENE Y. ADIONG

New cellphone units and latest gadgets.Facebook accounts. Vampire novels and movies. Youtube. 'Gimik' hotspots. Sarah Geronimo. Red Horse.

What I mentioned above are but just a few of the things that today's Filipino youth are busying themselves with. The exceptions are rare if there are any.

Many agree that the 2010 elections are one of the most significant political exercise for our nation. The results would determine what path this beloved country of ours will take in the next century. Nearly 80 percent of the registered voters are the youth of which many are first- time voters.

Now that the political camps are already at the height of campaign preparations,where are their agendas for the youth? More importantly, where is the youth power or youth vote? Is there such an animal? Is it significant to initiate a change? Or are they just imagined to project that the young sector is for this or that candidat... Read more »

NEW POLITICS(a 2- part series)
EUGENE Y. ADIONG

One of the definition of the word "politics" that I can never forget from my college days is this college rendition:"Politics is the art of influencing others against the opposition of many."

Politics encompasses public governance including resource management,fund budgeting, service delivery and conflict management. Politics is a vehicle for bringing about socio- economic reforms, a means for change. It is a venue to select people who will serve. It is running government to help people run their lives. It is both a commitment and a form of service. Politics is "the greatest of all apostolates," said one Pope.

IS THERE TOO MUCH POLITICS?

Lydia N.Yu- Jose, chairperson of the Department of Political Science of the Ateneo de Manila University, in her introduction to the book Politics and Governance,Theory and Practice in the Philippine Context, said the expression "too much politics" is largely negative in connotation.... Read more »

When one searches the records of those who filed their Certificates of Candidacies(CoCs) at the Commission on Elections, many would notice familiar names in the list of candidates vying for different positions.

In Negros Occidental, most of the candidates for the 2010 polls are related to one another with several unopposed.

In the First District, Board Member Nehemias Dela Cruz, his son Don Salvador Benedicto Mayor Marxlen Dela Cruz, and wife Vice Mayor Cynthia Dela Cruz are all seeking reelection unopposed.

In the Second District, Sagay City Vice Mayor Leo Rafael Cueva is running for mayor unopposed. Cueva is the nephew of Sagay City Mayor Alfredo Marañon Jr. who is seeking the gubernatorial post against former Gov. Rafael “Lito” Coscolluela.Second District Rep. Alfredo “Thirdy” Marañon III is also seeking reelection while Joseph Gerald Marañon and Donato Marañon are running as vice mayor and councilor, respectively.In Cadiz, running for mayor is Councilor Patrick Escalant... Read more »

read and comment on my blog www.stingrayfreelance.blogspot.com

TRANSFORMATIVE POLITICS: The process of effecting positive change not necessarilly by changing our LEADERS but by changing the traditional factors upon which we base our reasons for electing them into OFFICE (like money, popularity, dole-outs, padrino system, empty promises and parochial concerns) into good governance factors (like credibility, integrity, track record, equal participation of men and women, effectiveness, efficiency, sustainable programs). If only many of us realize this, we can actually COMPEL our leaders to be more TRANSPARENT, and ACCOUNTABLE, to adhere more to the RULE of LAW and to make their leadership more PARTICIPATORY and RESPONSIVE. (These are the major benchmarks of governance, UNESCAP). Many of us use the word "good governance" but many of us fail to realize that GOVERNMENT is just one of the actors in governance. The other actors include business, civil society, urban poor, and many others.

UNESCAP says the urban middle class is the most disorganized an... Read more »

Gusto ko talaga na magiging automated o computerized na ang eleksyon sa 2010 para mabawasan ang dayaan.

Sa bilangan kasi ang malakihang dayaan. Kaya kapag hindi manual (yung tao ang magbibilang), naniniwala ako na mababawasan ang dayaan.

Dapat masaya tayo na naayos kontrata ng Smartmatic-TIM at Comelec at tuloy-tuloy na ang computerized election. Kaya lang, mukhang maraming nakatagong mga hindi kanais-nais itong kontrata na ngayon lang lumalabas.Kapag kwestyunable ang kumpanya, medyo nakakatakot sa laki at napaka-importante ng kontratang ito.

Sabi ni Atty. Harry Roque ng Concerned Citizens Movement na ang pumirma sa kontrata sa Comelec at ang Smartmatic International Corporation na nakarehistro sa Pilipinas. Ang kumpanya na magpapatupd ng kontrata, katulad ng pagsupply ng mga computer at mga software ay ang Smartmatic na nakabase sa Netherlands. Meron din nakalagay Barbados.

Kapag meron aberya, sino ang ating hahabulin at saan tayo hahabol?

May inilabas ang VERA Fil... Read more »

NEGRENSE women are the quintessential southern belles of lore and vintage LVN movies. They were to the hacienda born, with a silver spoon of muscovado in their mouths. They move with the languid hauteur of the rich who, as Fitzgerald said, are different from you and me. Right? Nothing could be more wrong. Yes, they are graciosa, as only an Ilongga can be, but they are no different from their cosmopolitan sisters who are tough and driven and ambitious. The more privileged among them also feel noblesse obliged to make a difference in the lives of the people around them, while enriching their own.

Lyn Besa Gamboa is the doyenne of culture in Western Negros, and if anyone dares to contest that, or aspire for the title, he or she should be prepared for the thankless job of nurturing the arts and culture of Negros, which is not a funding priority of the local government and other philistine people calloused by difficult economic times. (Gretchen Cojuangco, although a great supporter of t... Read more »

Huwag kang pupunta kung hindi ka inimbita. At kung inimbita ka, huwag kang magsasama.

Ang pamayanang may paniniwala sa kanyang pamahalaan ay umuunlad.

Inaalis natin ang lahat ng balakid sa bangketa upang magamit na lakaran ng mga tao. Ito ay isang paraan ng paglutas sa problema ng trapiko.

Maling isipin ng sinuman na ang pag-aalis ng anumang istraktura o balakid sa bangketa ay paglapastangan sa anumang karapatan.

Wag bolahin ang mahihirap. Tulungan at turuan sila.

As leaders, one thing, you have to do is to get things done. You are not a leader for just to be a leader. You have to get things done

Ang galing ng Pilipino, ipinakita ni Manny Pacquiao sa buong mundo! Ang tagumpay ni Manny Pacquiao kaya nating lahat kung ating pagtitibayin ang ating husay at galing!

One thing I need to emphasize is that the leader has to get things done. ‘Yan ang number one. If you cannot get anything done, sayang lang ang ganda mong lalaki. Di bale na lang.

With good physica... Read more »

Meanwhile, what are these confusing signals that we are getting? Presidential son Mikey Arroyo is reported to have said he does not know what his mother’s plans are, and people started speculating that it means Mommy is planning something. Then Mikey admits that there are offers for him to run for governor of Pampanga and leave his congressional district. Ahem? What is disturbing is that Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita, seemingly exasperated with talks about boycotts and disturbances planned for the SONA (State of the Nation Address) of the President next month, snaps that the President has the option to declare Martial Law. Great God in heaven!

* * *

But there is another scenario that we must look out for. Senator Chiz Escudero spoke about reports, or, well, rumors, that the pro Con-Ass members of the House may sneak the voting on their pet project in the agenda for the SONA. Can they do that? Who knows? The SONA is just like any session, a joint one at that, where the Sena... Read more »

Kayo ba ay naniniwala na talagang tatakbo si Gloria Arroyo bilang kongresista ng Pampanga sa 2010 eleksyon?

Malakas ang kutob ko na isa na namang pakulo niya ito at meron talaga siyang ibang maitim na balak. Suspetsa ko diversionary tactic lang ito.

Nakakapagtaka kasi sila mismo ang nagpapalutang. Si Arroyo mismo. Sinabi nya sa kanyang talumpati, “anong malay nyo, baka tumakbo akong kongresista sa Pampanga.” Ito ay sinundan ng mga pahayag ng kanyang deputy spokesperson na si Lorelei Fajardo na wala namang batas na nagbabawal na tumakbong kongresista.

Ang pinakahuli nilang drama ay ang ikinuwento ni Agrarian Reform Secretary Nasser Pangandaman sa mga reporter sa Cotabato City na sinabi raw ni Arroyo sa kanila sa miting ng Legislative-Executive Development Council ang kanyang planong pagtakbo bilang kongresista ng Pampanga.

Nang inilabas ng Inquirer, deny ang Malacañang. Walang sinabi raw si Arroyo sa miting. Atras din si Pangandaman. Ginawa pa yang iresponsable at sinung... Read more »